If a person in your close environment faces gambling addiction problems, you can find relevant information on this website.

For support and encourage an individual that faces addiction to seek treatment, call now at 1454.

Oftentimes, as members of the family, friends or the social environment of an addicted player you may be overwhelmed by uncertainty and stress regarding their loved one and do not know how to properly manage the situation. You are possessed by many conflicting feelings, because you are confused as to whether you should provide financial support to your loved one by covering his expenses or whether you should focus your efforts on preventing him from carrying on betting and/or gambling activities. If you would like further information on how to identify a problem and seek help, select the following links.

How you can tell if there’s an issue

Apart from the fact that the addicted gambler is losing money, his problematic engagement in betting or gambling activities has further consequences on his life, as well as on the life of people around him.

If you are worried about someone close to you, then look out for the following behaviours:

1. Defensive attitude and unexplained anger... Read more

2. Secretiveness about his finances or other activities... Read more

3. No free time or increased times of absence... Read more

How you can help someone with a gambling problem?

Treating gambling addiction is not an easy task. It needs dedication and encouragement from the family and the close environment of the addicted person so that he can lead his life away from gambling. It is useful to understand that you cannot change the behaviour of an addicted person, nor can you force him to stop, but you can help him.

On our website, you can find information and advice in order to help a person close to you or you can call the Multiple Intervention Centre at the number 1454, if you feel that the addiction problem of your loved one is out of control and you wish to share your concerns.

1. The first step for helping your loved one is to decide whether you will talk to him about his problem and how to do this... Read More

2. Once you have had the conversation about his problem and listened to what he had to say, there is a series of practical steps in order to help him. ...Read More

3.The next step for handling the problem is to lay down an action plan together with the individual in order to help him take the right direction. The following are some actions that we suggest that take. Read More
How to help yourself and your family

When a member of your family faces a problem of gambling addiction, then this can also affect your own life as well as your family life, by causing problems.

Some of these problems may be:

  • Health problems such as headaches, migraines, hypertension, etc.
  • Feelings of anxiety, pressure, sadness
  • Changes in your eating habits and your usual sleeping cycle due to anxiety
  • Family quarrels and problematic relationships, and lack of intimacy with your loved ones leading to alienation
  • If the problem of your loved one is out of control, then you may be experiencing verbal or physical violence
  • Financial uncertainty and concern

Take care of yourself and stay healthy (physically and mentally). This is equally important as helping your beloved person who has an addiction problem. Follow your daily routine and continue to have interesting and active hobbies at your spare time.

Some helpful tips are the following:

  • Take care of your diet
  • Make sure that meal time is an important family moment
  • Exercise regularly or walk in order to change environment
  • Make sure you have a steady sleeping cycle
  • Avoid drinking and using other addictive substances
  • Share your thoughts and concerns with other people in your family environment whom you can trust
  • Ask for help from experts on addiction (e.g. psychologists, Advisors)

An important problem which is created from pathological gambling is the problematic relationship between the individual and his family and the tension created in all the relationships of the individual with his family, his friends and, in general, his social environment. This is why it is important to try to rebuild trust between yourselves and to support him/her in his effort to fight addiction. This can be achieved by following the action plan that you will draw up and put together as suggested above. For more information on the action plan, follow this link

To find out about how to secure money and other assets, follow the link.

Some practical tips for your own actions are the following:

  • Manage your family’s finances and record family expenses
  • Separate beneficiaries and properly manage access to your joint bank accounts
  • Inform your family, friends or colleagues about the problem so that they do not lend any money to the addicted person